illinois has a statewide smoking ban, starting jan 1st 08. i am a non-smoker myself, and do not agree with it. I believe if anything, each establishment should have to set up and maintain smoke eaters, to the square foot of their rooms. Poolhalls and bars with tables and without tables, cannot take this hit! i know a few of my really good friends who enjoy playing, will stay at home and play, so they can have their cigs. There are many many small hometown bars, which i see them loosing 75% of their business because of this. I know some will say, they can stepoutside and smoke, which is true, but for the trouble of going outside every 15 minutes, fighting the weather, unsafe outside at some places. People will get tired of that, and make a habit of staying home, or to a friends house. What about leagues? At 1996 us open, i bet more than 1/2 of the players stood outside, just to smoke everyday. can billiards take another hit at this point in struggling time. What will happen to bca pop?
Im up for any suggestions, thoughts on the matter. Im not sure of other states laws about smoking, but it will hit your state soon as well. Im very curious and nervous fot the SPORT:), to how this will play out. My very best friends run almost all of tournys, and huge!!! league. i will get the percentages form them, and look up the % of bca to calculate the drop in % of players, off next year. Fine is $100-$250 per offence, and fine gets bigger the more times you get caught. Only realistic option to make everyone happy, is to have smoke eater standard that must be followed? because there is no way the government, will change a smoking ban bill, once it has passed, and inforced. Is my smokeater standard idea a solution? i dont know, but i would love to petetion the idea, in a short film, to the government. im willing 2 start a website, if people will help, and get the word out. google ZIMS RACK mike or danny will help im sure, as they run huge leagues, and mike makes custom cues.
There has been a smoking ban in effect for a few years where I live.
At first it definitely had a negative impact on business. After an adjustment period of maybe a few months I would say it was pretty much back to normal. In fact a lot of places do much better business now than before. Leagues are also doing better than ever as well.
Many non-smokers started becoming regulars that would not have done so earlier, and the die hard fans of the game will continue to play and will get used to the smoking ban. I am a smoker and at first I hated the ban, but I am so used to it now I can hardly remember what it was like to smoke in the pool halls before.
The only problem is if only some places are forced to go non-smoking, and others are not. If everyone is on an even playing field people will adjust.
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